What most people don’t know is that online printers have hidden costs, high shipping costs, lengthy turnaround times, widely varying quality, no quality control and often very poor customer service.

In other words, you get what you pay for!

In today’s digital world, high quality printing – just like you get from online – is available in just about every city. If you are not a designer and don’t work with printers on a daily basis, chances are, you need some helpful feedback and assistance to make sure your print job looks as good as you need it to.

Here are five ways locally run and operated printers beat large online printers every time:

With an out-of-town printer, you have no relationship with the person running your order. With a local, independent print shop, you get someone with some emotional equity built up in the business and their relationships with clients, especially longtime customers. You won’t be just a number or get lost in the shuffle. This means a real person who cares quality checks your order.

With an out-of-town printer, you might see emailed digital proofs, which we all know can’t convey depth and color with the same accuracy as a printed proof. Local, independent print shops give their customers a chance to see and touch physical proofs and discuss any changes on the spot and face-to-face with the person who actually did the printing.

Online printers can take 2-6 weeks to deliver your job. Need someone today or within 24 hours? A local shop can do backflips for you and make you look great by getting you a perfect print job at a reasonable cost when you need it.

If you decide you need extras or other modifications to your order, you’re likely to fill out a complicated new order form or pay an extra fee when dealing with a large out-of-town printers. Independents can adjust on the fly with a mere phone call. It’s just way easier, and quicker, too.

There’s always the personal touch and the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting a locally owned and operated business that keeps your dollars circulating in the local economy. When you buy local and independent, you’re doing your part to help your community stay vibrant. Doesn’t that just feel better than filling out a form online and waiting for the mailman to show up with a box?